Home Life
by Haiku Kitten
Summary: Brainy and Lyle take a big leap forward, retiring from the Legion and starting a life together in Metropolis. Of course, nothing is ever that simple. Brainiac 5/Invisible Kid, Warnings for violence, noncon, and mpreg in later chapters.
1. My Whole Life

**Home Life**

By: Haiku

Rating: M for future chapters.

Fandom: Legion of Superheroes, Reboot

Characters: Brainiac 5, Invisible Kid

Pairing: Brainy/Lyle

**Home Life**

**Chapter 1: My Whole Life**

_I want to live in the center of a circle_

_I want to live on the side of a square_

_I used to be in my M-Z, now_

_You never find me 'cause my name isn't there_

_Been holding out for a home life_

_My whole life_

_**John Mayer, "Home Life"**_

It's been a year since Imra Ardeen and Garth Ranzz tied the knot, so to speak. The wedding was a huge affair put together by R.J. Brande himself in honor of two of the children who saved his life.

It's been two years since Brainiac 5 found a way to restore Garth's physical body using stored DNA samples and discovering how to blend the DNA with the Tromium crystals together. The result was that Garth was fully flesh once again (including a brand new arm) and was double the firepower that he had been, with his own lightning back under his control and Jan's powers of transmutation as well.

This, of course, meant that Brainiac 5 had a seat at the head table with the happy couples' closest friends at the wedding reception. Invisible Kid had been seated next to him.

Barely a week after the wedding, Lyle asked Querl out to dinner. Things just sort of grew from there and now, a year later, Querl and Lyle are one of the Legion's "official couples." With all the media coverage that the Legion still gets, being a couple is sort of like being movie stars. Querl could do without the fame, in all honesty, but he likes being with Lyle. It's fun, mostly harmless, and usually very relaxed. They still have their occasional rows, of course, because Querl just can't help his temper; but if anything, it draws them closer together.

Today's a special occasion because former Legionnaires Imra and Garth Ranzz, who retired from the Legion shortly after their union, have come back to show off their newly born twin boys, Graym and Garridan.

Querl hovers a little to the side while he watches his boyfriend gush over the newborns. Imra and Garth are exceedingly proud parents, accepting everyone's congratulations with happy smiles.

"I do miss the Legion," Imra admits to Rokk when he asks her. "Of course I do, you guys are family. But I have to admit, I don't regret retiring. I know the Legion is in capable hands and Garth and I – we're really happy on Winath. And with the boys now, really, it's just perfect."

"I wouldn't mind retiring one day," Lyle speaks up. He has baby Graym in his arms, looking somehow very natural with a child. He glances over at Querl sheepishly for a moment. "I mean, not right away, obviously. When the time is right, though, I'd like to."

Querl takes that under consideration, has a minor panic attack in his lab a few hours later, and then comes to the conclusion that if it's something Lyle wants, maybe it won't be so bad.

So that night, when they're lying in bed about to fall asleep, Querl mumbles, "I could be a doctor if I wanted to be."

"Sorry?" Lyle sounds confused. "What's this about being a doctor?"

"Well, if we… retired," Querl replies nervously. "I could be a doctor. I, umm, already have the degree for it. I'd have to be an intern for a while, is all."

Lyle snuggles a little closer to him and kisses his nose fondly. "Are you saying you'd like for us to have a future together?"

"Maybe."

Silence stretches out between them.

"It's just a thought," Querl mutters. He rolls over on his side, facing away from Lyle, and they're both silent the rest of the night.

* * *

><p>It's not that Lyle doesn't appreciate Brainy's offer; really, it's just that they've only been dating for a year and what Brainy is proposing is a big step. It really surprises him that Brainy even did it. When Lyle had said he'd like to settle down one day, he'd meant it as a general "eventually, when I'm older, I'd like to have the white picket fence thing."<p>

Of course, Brainy takes everything literally.

After Lyle's reaction last night, Brainy is giving him the cold shoulder today. He's tried to make it up to his boyfriend, but he's probably embarrassed the Coluan terribly by not getting excited about the prospect of retiring, and when Brainy gets embarrassed he gets irritable.

"Look, it's not that I don't like the idea," Lyle tries to reason over breakfast. "I do want to retire eventually…"

"Just not with me, I get it." Brainy stands up from the table, taking his tray with him. "Don't worry about it. It was a stupid idea and I don't even know why I brought it up."

Despite his words, there's genuine hurt visible in Brainy's expression and Lyle feels like an ass. He watches Brainy leave and pushes his food around on his plate without actually eating any of it.

He has to fix this.

So he makes a few calls. He calls his parents first, though he hasn't talked to them in years, and asks how they're doing. They're still apathetic toward his career in the Legion, and his father is kind of rude, but his mother gets very excited when Lyle brings up Brainy.

"I've been reading about you two in the news," she tells him cheerfully. "He seems like such a nice boy, Lyle; I wish you'd bring him to visit. I guess it's hard to do that when you live so far away, though."

He calls Mr. Brande next and tells him about Brainy's sudden interest in being a doctor. Mr. Brande explains that it's true – Brainy's long since completed the requirements for a degree and could easily get an internship if he moved to Earth. It would probably take him no more than a year as an intern to get a position as a physician. Mr. Brande says he's happy to send recommendation letters.

Finally, Lyle calls the Coluan embassy to see what it would take to marry a Coluan, since he's never heard of them marrying outside of their people before. He is told by a rather unimpressed official that one Querl Dox has not legally been a resident of Colu since he was eleven, and is therefore subject to Earth regulations.

Lyle takes that to mean that the old Earth custom of proposing with a ring would be perfectly acceptable.

He corners Brainy in the lab later that evening. When Brainy attempts to duck around him and flee, Lyle grabs him and pulls him into a tight embrace.

"Stop it," he murmurs sternly, his lips pressed against Brainy's cheek. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I want a future with you too, okay? It just caught me off guard and I reacted poorly, but I've had a while to think about it. I want to start a life with you, Querl."

Brainy goes limp in his arms. "Really?"

"Of course," Lyle replies. "Of course I do. I love you. I can't imagine living without you, I want to marry you some day, I… I want all of it, with you."

"I love you too," Brainy whispers, one of the few times he's ever actually said those words.

* * *

><p>The apartment in Metropolis is a little cramped, but it has a nice view. Lyle explores it, talking animatedly about all the things they can do with it, while Querl stands in the center of the empty living room and stares out the window. Truth be told, his heart is pounding in his chest.<p>

Mr. Brande got him an internship at Metropolis Medical Center, a very respectable establishment that would have been Querl's first choice anyway. He's been told already that a year from now, there will be a good job for him and his future is now secured.

He can more than afford his new life in Metropolis. He and Lyle bought the apartment together with their funds from the Legion, which they've both been saving for years. There's still plenty of that money left over. And now Querl has a job and they'll never want for anything.

Lyle has already been looking into getting a job as well. He's been talking about doing computer programming, which he's become quite adept at. It's not nearly as exciting as fighting bad guys, he says, but it's also not quite as dangerous.

"We need to buy some furniture," Lyle says, coming back into the living room. "And Brainy, did you see this master bedroom? I mean, it's fantastic."

Lyle is dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, and some boyish looking sneakers, and Querl hasn't seen him this dressed down since the last Legion vacation. He looks good, Querl decides. More importantly, he looks happy.

"You need new clothes too," Lyle remarks, looking over Querl's own attire thoughtfully. "Sweater vests? Really?"

"I like sweater vests," Querl defends, but he doesn't really like them all that much, they were just a phase he went through when he was younger and he hasn't bothered to update his wardrobe in quite a while.

The grin on Lyle's face makes Querl grin back, and even though Querl hates shopping as a rule, it's suddenly kind of exciting to think of buying furniture for his very own apartment.

"You know, this is… the first time I've ever really had something like this," he admits, walking over to the window. "A home, I mean."

Lyle comes over and wraps an arm around his waist. "We've got the rest of our lives now," he murmurs.

"Yeah," Querl agrees and the thought makes him feel warm inside. "We do."

* * *

><p>It's a couple months later when Garth and Imra come to visit their new home, the boys in tow. Despite how Brainy complains ahead of time about unwanted company, he seems anxious to get the apartment thoroughly cleaned before they get there. He even hovers over Lyle's shoulder while Lyle cooks supper, making occasional comments and recommendations.<p>

When their friends finally arrive, Lyle breathes a sigh of relief.

"Nice place," Garth remarks, with all the enthusiasm he can muster because he's trying to be polite. "You guys… have interesting taste."

"We were trying to optimize functionality," Lyle explains. He'd wanted to get a little more creative with the interior design, but he'd introduced Brainy to designer furniture one time and Brainy had looked at all of the oddly colored, expensive couches with such a befuddled look on his face that Lyle just couldn't subject the poor man to it.

Imra just smiles, because she knows how Brainy thinks and why it's necessary to let the Coluan have his way.

"It's definitely very functional," she says, patting Querl's shoulder. "Brainy, could you hold Graym for me? I really have to pee."

She deposits tiny Graym into Brainy's arms without further ado and disappears down the hallway to the bathroom. Brainy looks completely shocked to be holding the baby, and he handles Graym tenderly while staring at him with a terrified expression on his face.

Garth hefts Garridan up and grins at Brainy. "Babies," he says with a hint of pride in his voice. "Aren't they amazing? I just can't get over these two. And it's thanks to you that I had the chance, you know."

Brainy looks over at Garth, surprised at the praise, and smiles shyly. Suddenly, he seems much more relaxed with Graym and he turns his focus on the baby completely. "You have beautiful children, Garth," he says. "I can see that they truly are amazing."

The babies are settled comfortably in their carriers in the living room for a nap while the adults have dinner. Lyle is thinking that this is nice, very relaxing and not at all uncomfortable, when Garth suddenly opens his big mouth.

"So, have you guys thought about having kids?"

Brainy chokes on a mouthful of food and Lyle quickly moves to his side, patting his back.

"I'll… take that as a no," Garth says sheepishly. "Sorry, I didn't mean, you know… well, really, having kids is the best thing that's ever happened to me. And I know you guys just moved in together but the way you both are with the boys, well, you'd be great dads, I think."

"Well, we're not married yet," Lyle reasons while Brainy drinks long from his glass of water, draining the vessel. "I mean, I've… thought about it, I guess, but we haven't talked about it at all."

He thinks about his own childhood; about his dad's volatile temper, and his mother so meek and unable to stand up for herself or her son. He'd be a better dad than that, wouldn't he? Or mom, whatever role it was that he ends up filling for a kid.

And then he thinks about Brainy, who's never even had a home before now, whose own mother tried to kill him, and he suddenly knows why Brainy choked.

"You should think about it," Imra urges. "I know you wouldn't be able to do it the conventional way, but there are ways to go about it. You could have children of your own or you could even adopt. Children make things brighter."

"Don't get us wrong," Garth adds. "Kids are a lot of work. We're still not getting enough sleep, one of the boys is almost always crying. And you have to clean up after them, and feed them, and do everything for them. But they're so worth it."

Brainy picks up his napkin, politely dabs at his mouth with it, and says, "I'm very sure that Lyle would make a wonderful parent, but I'm afraid that it wouldn't be wise for me to undertake a responsibility like that."

"Maybe in the future," says Imra soothingly.

"No," Brainy says firmly. "The Dox line ends with me."

There's an awkward silence for a moment before Garth and Lyle reclaim the evening with talk about the newest Legionnaires and the weather on Winath these days. Brainy doesn't talk much for the remainder of the evening.

When night rolls around, Lyle follows Brainy to the bedroom hoping maybe for a quickie before they sleep, but Brainy undresses mechanically and climbs right into bed, pulling the blankets up to his ears and making it clear that he's not in the mood.

With a sigh, Lyle follows suit, but he snuggles up against his boyfriend despite how prickly Brainy is being.

"You're upset," Lyle murmurs. "About the whole kid thing?"

"It's nothing," Brainy mutters. He's silent for a long moment and then says, "I'm sorry, Lyle."

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" Lyle questions with a frown. "We just had a great evening with our friends, we've got this beautiful apartment; things are going great right now."

"I can't have kids." Brainy's voice is a little choked as he speaks. "I'm sorry, I just can't. I… never talked to you about… my mother, or what it was like for me before Mr. Brande found me. It didn't even occur to me until this evening that you would even want kids with me, but I'm… I'm not sure I could be a good parent and I know what it's like to be… neglected."

Lyle cups Brainy's face in his hands and looks him in the eyes. "Brainy – Querl – you would be an amazing father, do you hear me? We don't have to have kids. And even if we wanted them, it wouldn't have to be right now. But you… you're not your mother. You would love our kids. I know you'd take the best care of them. So don't think you _can't_ have kids. But don't think you have to have them, either."

"You have a lot of faith in me," Brainy says. "I'm not a great person, Lyle. I try, but I'm selfish and insecure, and I don't think before I act. I've never truly loved anyone but you and my mother."

It breaks Lyle's heart to know that Brainy thinks like this about himself. He wants to prove him wrong, tell Brainy over and over that he's amazing, strong, and so very brave.

"Grife, Brainy, you're beautiful," he whispers, trying and failing to keep his voice steady. "I love you so much. And you deserve it, okay? You deserve to be loved, and I do love you."

Any fears Lyle has been having about his own ability to raise a child are thrown out the window. If Brainy ever decides that he wants kids, Lyle knows he'll give their children everything, and so will Brainy. Whatever happened to the two of them in the past, it's in the past now. They really do have the rest of their lives.

* * *

><p>Work is frustrating. Querl comes home exhausted on a regular basis, because he's no good at the social aspect of working at a hospital even if he's often praised as being the most competent intern that Metro Center has ever had.<p>

He's particularly worn out today because he got in a bit of a tiff with one of the nurses when he tried to explain to her that she could take blood more efficiently and with less pain involved for the patient. She hadn't appreciated it, and had pointed out that _she _had been to nursing school and had hands-on experience, while all he'd done was sit in front of a screen and take every class online.

He pointed out in return that he's been on the battlefield, had to provide emergency services for his teammates in the middle of a fight, and he considered that to be hands-on experience.

Ultimately, the argument had gone nowhere and Querl is just glad to be home. Lyle will be back soon too and maybe they can get cozy on the couch together and Querl can ignore his real life problems for a while.

He changes into more casual clothes and goes to fetch a drink from the kitchen when the home computer announces that someone is calling. Reluctantly, he hits the answer button and Mr. Brande's face appears on the screen.

"Ah, Querl, good to see you!" the old man says cheerfully. "I was hoping I would catch you. I have some news that I think you're going to be interested in."

Querl nods his head in greeting. "Mr. Brande," he acknowledges. "What is this news you have?"

"Well, as you know, your mother escaped Takron Galtos a few years back," says Mr. Brande. "Since then, we have been trying to locate her but she hasn't actually caused any trouble until recently. She was apprehended three days ago and taken into custody, along with many of her associates."

"Yes, I had heard something about that," Querl admits. Cosmic Boy had called in the day it happened, and Querl would have done further investigation but Lyle thought it would be best if Querl let others handle Brainiac 4.

Mr. Brande clears his throat, looking a little uncomfortable. "Yes, I suspected you would find out through the grapevine. Lad, I'm about to tell you something that may… complicate things for you, but I feel you have a right to know. When we cleared out Brainiac 4's base of operations, we found a little boy, maybe three years old. He's your brother, Querl."

It's like someone has punched Querl in the gut. He has a little brother? His mother had another child? Why? Why in the universe would she have another baby when she tried to kill Querl?

"I… need to sit down." Querl grabs a chair and collapses in it before his knees can give out on him. "Where is the boy now?"

"With me, for the time being," Mr. Brande replies. "However, you are his next of kin. If you want to, you can claim custody of him. He's had a hard time, lad. As you can imagine, your mother was not exactly kind to him. I will take him in if I need to but I'm getting old and a toddler is probably more than I can handle. You are the only other person who is likely to understand what he needs."

Querl's mouth is dry and he swallows thickly. "What's his name?"

"Ryn Dox. He looks just like you and he's definitely inherited your brains. Why don't you and Lyle come and see him, at least? You don't have to make this decision right away but at least think about it. You might be his only shot at a normal family."

"Of course, I'll be there tomorrow," Querl replies before he can talk himself out of the idea. "I… I at least want to meet him."

Only a few days ago, he swore to Imra that he, Querl Dox, would be the last Brainiac. He'd meant it at the time. But he never thought his mother would be the one to continue the cycle, not after what she'd done to him.

He feels sick when he realizes what she's probably done to this little boy. Ryn has probably never known a gentle touch, was probably only brought into the world to give his mother a punching bag, something to make her _feel_.

He can't turn his back on this boy, knowing what he knows. Mr. Brande is no longer capable of caring for such a small child, and the Brainiac children have special needs. Querl knows that better than anyone.

Still, taking in a child is a huge responsibility, let alone a child who is like _him_. They might even have to move to a bigger house, maybe one with a great deal of privacy. Can he control Ryn, knowing what he was like at that age? Maybe, but Mr. Brande never managed it.

For a long time, he just sits there, his head in his hands. He knows what Lyle's response will be, because Lyle is the soft-hearted type who would feel guilty for the rest of his life if he put his own comfort ahead of a child's. And Querl knows that Lyle does want children, and he knows that Lyle would be a wonderful parent. Querl is the one who isn't ready yet.

Lyle finds him still in the chair in front of the computer when he gets home. Querl doesn't even have to say anything to let Lyle know that he's upset about something; Lyle can instantly tell from the look on his face.

"Hey, B, what's wrong?" his boyfriend asks gently, coming over to put his arms around Querl. "Is everything alright?"

Querl shakes his head miserably and hides his face against Lyle's shoulder. He's suddenly aware of how painfully tight his throat is, and how his eyes are stinging just a little. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.

He wonders how he would have handled that call if he hadn't known he'd have Lyle's support throughout this.

~TBC


	2. Wrap Your Arms around Me

**Home Life**

By: Haiku

Rating: M for future chapters.

Fandom: Legion of Superheroes, Reboot

Characters: Brainiac 5, Invisible Kid

Pairing: Brainy/Lyle

**Home Life**

**Chapter 2: Wrap Your Arms around Me**

_I concede that you were right about this place_

_I can make a perfect likeness of your body if I trace_

_I can hold you 'til you turn out the light and I can't see_

_Do you believe that we are all innately good?_

_Do you think you would love me 'til tomorrow if you could?_

_Would you please turn down the radio so we can speak?_

_I put my hands around your neck; you wrap your arms around me._

_**Barenaked Ladies, "Wrap Your Arms around Me" **_

Brainy is silent all the way to Mr. Brande's home. No attempt on Lyle's part to make him talk has been successful. Lyle supposes that this is just a lot for Brainy to take in, but he has to admit that he's worried about his boyfriend. Brainy doesn't handle change very well and is notoriously vulnerable when it comes to any matters pertaining to his mother.

They both took off of work today for this, and Lyle had no idea how to explain it to his boss. He'd said something vague about family matters. He can't help but wonder what excuse Brainy used. Maybe Brainy just told the truth. He's never been one to sugarcoat things.

Mr. Brande meets them at the door and ushers them inside. "Ryn is in the sitting room," he says as he leads them through the house. "Try not to make sudden movements, he's a little skittish. And don't take offense at anything he says. He's not had a lot of social interaction."

The little boy in the floor looks so much like Brainy. Ryn is diligently drawing in a sketch pad that Mr. Brande must have given him and the diagram that's already nearly filled up the page is so complex and detailed that Lyle can hardly believe it's truly Ryn's work. Didn't Brainy say that Ryn is only three years old?

Brainy moves past Lyle and unceremoniously sets himself down on the floor beside the boy. Ryn looks up at him for a moment before turning his attention back to his work.

"What are you working on?" Brainy asks calmly.

"It's what I think the inside of a star probably looks like," Ryn replies. "A new star, to be exact. Who are you?"

"He's your brother, Ryn," Mr. Brande speaks up. "Remember, I told you that Querl was coming to see you? And this is his boyfriend, Lyle Norg."

Ryn is only mildly interested in Lyle at all, far more intrigued by his supposed brother. He looks Brainy over critically, narrowing his eyes just exactly the way Brainy used to do when they were children, his nose curling up in disdain.

"He doesn't look like much," the boy finally decides.

"I'm the smartest man in the universe," Brainy informs him coolly. "Is that impressive enough for you?"

"Mother said you're a disappointment," Ryn says with a shrug. "Mother is the smartest woman in the universe."

Brainy looks like the kid might as well have slapped him in the face. He schools his features quickly. "Mother is very smart," he agrees. "However, I think she deems me a disappointment for reasons other than my intelligence."

He reaches over to take the pen from Ryn. "Here, let me show you what you're doing wrong," he says.

Ryn jerks back away from him violently, his eyes wide. He clutches the pen tightly in his hand, as though it's something precious that Brainy was trying to steal from him.

"Easy, Ryn," Brainy tries to sooth, holding his hands up to show that he means no harm. "I just wanted to see your pen for a minute. Can I borrow it?"

He tries to reach out again, but this time Ryn lets out a shriek and throws the pen at him before scrambling away, terrified. For the first time, Lyle notices the fading bruises on the boy's arms and he sees how skinny Ryn is and how his hair, which should shine like Brainy's golden curls do, is lackluster.

This child has been hurt, he realizes.

Brainy stands up and backs away from Ryn, his expression strained. "I'm sorry, Mr. Brande," he says. "It's different. I don't know… I can't relate to this, I don't know what to do for him."

"I do," Lyle speaks up. He pats Brainy's shoulder soothingly. "Let me see if I can talk to him."

He slowly approaches Ryn, who has huddled down in a corner, watching them all with suspicious eyes. Lyle kneels down in front of him and smiles. "Hey, Ryn. Querl and I were wondering if you'd like to go out and get some ice cream with us."

"Ice cream?" Ryn frowns. "What's ice cream?"

Lyle grins broadly. "Only the most awesome thing ever. We'll show you. Do you want to come with us?"

"Outside?" Ryn asks nervously. "I…. Mother said not to go outside. I should just wait here for her to get back."

"Well, I suppose we could go by ourselves," Lyle says, feigning sadness. "We were really hoping that you would come too but that's okay." He starts to stand back up. "If there's any leftover, maybe we can bring some back for you. But Querl really loves ice cream, so he might eat all of it before we get back."

He glances at Brainy and winks. Brainy gives him an incredulous look that makes it clear that he thinks Lyle is crazy.

It does the trick. Ryn comes out of his corner, puffing out his little chest bravely. "I want to know what it is," he huffs. "So, I'll have to go with you, since Mother isn't here to tell me what to do."

And that's how Lyle ends up at an ice cream shop with his socially inept boyfriend and his boyfriend's slightly insane three year-old brother.

On the upside, Ryn is sufficiently distracted by ice cream. He's never seen anything like it before but Brainy explains how it's made and what it's made of, and Ryn is completely won over. What little kid doesn't like ice cream, anyway?

The waitress who serves them is completely charmed by Ryn. She first mistakes him as Lyle's and Brainy's son, but it's Ryn who corrects her and explains that Brainy is actually his older brother. Ryn, it seems, is as charmed by the waitress as she is by him. She's tall, blonde, and buxom, and Lyle definitely catches Brainy checking her out too. Seems the Dox men all have eyes for those particular features on women.

"You like her?" Lyle teases Ryn when the waitress walks away. "I think she's a little out of your league, kiddo."

Ryn snorts derisively. "Of course she is. I'm only three years old. But she is pretty. She reminds me of Mother."

A puzzle piece clicks into place for Lyle and he glances over at Brainy, arching an eyebrow. Brainy refuses to look him in the eyes.

When they finish their ice cream, Lyle proposes a walk in the park and maybe a trip to the Superman Museum. Ryn is hesitant at first, but he enjoyed the ice cream so much and Lyle can tell he's curious. If there's one thing he knows about the Dox family, it's that they have difficulty resisting the pull of curiosity. Finally, Ryn agrees.

Despite how incredibly smart Ryn obviously is, it becomes apparent that he's been severely limited. He asks constant questions about nearly everything they see, which Lyle and Brainy take turns answering. Ryn seems to enjoy learning so many new things but Brainy is obviously bothered that his little brother has been so sheltered.

When they get to the Superman Museum, Ryn asks them who Superman is and why he has a whole museum dedicated to him. Lyle and Brainy share a look over his head. The three of them find a good spot to sit outside, with a view of the impressive Superman statue, and they tell Ryn all about the Man of Steel and the other heroes who fought alongside him.

They tell him about how R.J. Brande formed the Legion of Superheroes, inspired by heroes from the past. Ryn is fascinated to learn that Lyle and Brainy used to be heroes themselves. He asks them why they quit, and they try to explain that they wanted to have a family and a quiet life together.

"Actually, Ryn, there's something we wanted to talk to you about," Brainy says quietly. "You're a very smart boy, I know. And you know that Mother can't come back to get you, right?"

The boy's lower lip immediately sticks out in a pout. "But she said she would. She always comes back."

"She's in prison," Brainy gently explains. "Mother did very bad things, Ryn. She hurt a lot of people. I know you love her, believe me, but you can't live with her anymore. And that's not something any of us can change, even if we wanted to."

Brainy's hands, folded in his lap, are trembling.

"Why can't I live with her? She's my mother!" Ryn scowled, furrowing his brow and wrinkling his little nose. "That's not fair! Things were just fine before! Why'd you have to go and ruin it?"

He gets up and stomps a few feet away, where he sits down with an angry huff.

"Ryn, I know this is hard," Brainy tries to reason with him, following him and sitting down beside him.

"You don't know!" Ryn snaps. "How could you know?"

"I know because she's my mother too." Brainy places a hand on Ryn's back. "I love her so much. But sometimes loving people isn't enough. They have to love you back, or else you'll only ever get hurt. Believe me; I know that better than anyone."

"… She doesn't mean to be like that," Ryn mutters. "She's just trying to feel something. She doesn't hurt me because she wants to."

"I know," says Brainy. "I know. But you shouldn't have to hurt. Neither of us deserves to hurt."

Ryn scrubs at his eyes with one hand, but he doesn't cry and neither does Brainy. Lyle feels like he might burst into tears himself at any moment. He feels a surge of hate towards Brainiac 4. Doesn't she know how much her children love her? What did she ever do to deserve so much love, when she's never given any back?

"We want to ask you a very important question," Brainy says. He reaches out a hand to Lyle, and Lyle comes over and takes hold of it firmly. "If you want to, Ryn, Lyle and I would like for you to come and live with us."

"What if I say no?" Ryn demands. "Do I get to live with Mother instead?"

Lyle shakes his head. "If you say you don't want to live with us, Mr. Brande has offered to let you live with him. He's a wonderful man, and he helped the both of us a great deal when we needed him, but we both think it would be better if you lived with us. We have a home, an apartment with an extra bedroom. Querl works at the hospital, but I don't have to leave home very often for my work. We would be able to spend more time with you than Mr. Brande would."

What he's offering Ryn would have meant the world to him when he was that age, and he knows that Brainy wishes now that he'd had that sort of childhood. But Ryn doesn't understand that he's lacking anything, or that he deserves a better life than what he's been given.

"Why would you do all that for me?" the boy asks. "Why do you want me to live with you so much?"

He's so suspicious of any sort of kindness. Lyle remembers that Brainy was a lot like that when he was younger. Every word of praise, every friendly gesture, had to be analyzed carefully so that Brainy could determine if it was meant purely in good will or if there was an ulterior motive behind it.

Brainy looks flustered and uncertain. He doesn't know what to say to make Ryn believe them. Lyle squeezes his hand reassuringly.

"We're trying to build a family," Lyle says. "And we think we can offer that to you, as well. It's something we've never really had ourselves, but I think that if the three of us work together, we can work it out. Ryn, I love Querl. He's my family. And you're _his _family, so you're my family too."

"Maybe we can even visit Mother sometimes," Brainy offers. This surprises Lyle, because Brainy has never once visited Brainiac 4 in prison, not after she tried to kill him. "Just try it for a while. If you don't like living with us, then… well, we'll see if there's a better solution."

"Well…" Ryn stares down at his shoes for a few long moments, and then looks back up at them. "I'll try it, I guess; if I can visit Mother."

Lyle and Brainy both sigh in relief. This is the first step forward.

Only a couple of days ago, Lyle had told himself that they would probably never have children. He had been disappointed, but he'd accepted that he could not force Brainy to do something he didn't want to do. Now, suddenly, there is a child in their lives. For all intents and purposes, Ryn might as well be their own. Brainy has more of a claim to the boy than anyone.

And Lyle can see that Brainy's scared, but he can also see that Brainy wants this. Brainy wanted Ryn the moment Mr. Brande told him of Ryn's existence. This is Brainy's chance to give his little brother a normal life.

It will work. It has to work. Lyle swears that he will make this work, for all of them.

They have to meet with the physician who treated Ryn when he was first found. Querl listens patiently as the other doctor explains all of the injuries Ryn was treated for. There is ample evidence of abuse, the doctor says, and malnutrition as well. Ryn apparently has never been fed very well and will have to be placed on a carefully monitored diet. Even the ice cream Lyle bought for him made him sick to his stomach, though they'd been careful to not let him eat too much of it.

It is agreed that they'll wait a week and see how Ryn adjusts before Querl takes full custody of him. After all, Querl promised him that they would find a better way if things didn't seem to be working out.

The last thing he wants to do is ever see his mother again, but he knows he'll have to make good on his promise to Ryn if he wants to earn the boy's trust. He won't take Ryn to see her very often, though, and not just because Querl doesn't want to see her. He doesn't think it's healthy for Ryn to be around her either.

The knowledge that she actually had another child just so she could beat him and abuse him makes Querl wish she'd died years ago. She's ill, he knows, and she is to be pitied. But she is as smart as Querl himself, and she should know the difference between right and wrong. Right and wrong don't matter to her, though. She only cares about herself.

Originally, Querl had planned to use the second bedroom as a study. He moves his worktable to his and Lyle's bedroom, and boxes up a lot of his hobby projects and stores them in the closet. He and Lyle buy new furniture for the room to make it more welcoming to a little boy. They also buy Ryn a selection of new clothes and a few toys, which they decide they will buy more of with Ryn. Querl buys Ryn some textbooks on various subjects. Lyle buys two baseball gloves, one his size and one Ryn's size, several baseballs, and a teddy bear.

When they finally get Ryn moved in, he doesn't bring much with him. Mr. Brande has supplied him with some clothes, some books, and a personal communicator but he didn't have anything to his name but the rags he was wearing when he was found.

Ryn's eyes light up when they show him his new room. He investigates everything. The clothes, he says, are much nicer than anything he's ever seen. The textbooks, he says, looks very interesting. The baseballs and gloves, he can't quite figure out, but Lyle promises to show him how to use them. Finally, Ryn takes the teddy bear off the bed and holds it up appraisingly.

"I like this," he proclaims. "I think he will be my minion. I will call him Assistant Bear."

"Good name," Lyle agrees. "Much better than, say, Koko."

Querl ducks his head sheepishly. Admittedly, he was never much for names, and Koko had just sort of showed up anyway, whether Querl liked it or not. He won't say it out loud, but he does miss the little monkey. After a while, he'd gotten used to having Koko with him while he worked. It's probably a good thing he doesn't have Koko now. He doesn't think the apartment could contain the little nuisance.

"Can I get a poster of Superman?" Ryn asks them unexpectedly. He looks up at them with imploring eyes, and Querl couldn't tell him no even if he wanted to.

"First thing tomorrow," Lyle promises. He kneels down and ruffles Ryn's hair fondly. "Tomorrow we're going to go shopping together and get some more stuff. Okay? Now, it's time for supper."

Dinner is a relatively quiet affair. Ryn eats everything on his plate quickly, and then asks for seconds, which he again consumes in record time. He seems as pleased with the home cooked meal as he was with the ice cream.

"Mother never made anything," the boy explains. "I ate mostly food paste. It doesn't have much taste. I really like food, though, because I like to taste things."

Querl's fingers clench tightly around his fork. He tries not to be angry with his mother. Anger doesn't do any good, does it? The best he can do is to take care of Ryn now and make sure the boy is happy.

"You'll always eat well here," he says firmly. "Boys need proper nutrition."

Ryn gazes at him with a puzzled expression on his face, as though he can't quite comprehend what Querl is saying to him.

"You're angry," the boy says at last. "Why are you angry, Querl?"

"I'm not angry," Querl grumbles defensively, but he can tell that such an answer will not be adequate for Ryn. "I'm not angry with you," he amends reluctantly. "Don't worry about it."

"Are you angry with Lyle?" Ryn wants to know, refusing to drop the subject.

"No, of course not!" Querl slams his fork back down on the table in irritation. The action makes Ryn jump in surprise. Querl swears softly under his breath and stands up from the table. "I'm sorry, I'm not feeling well. I'll retire early."

He storms to his bedroom – _their _bedroom, his and Lyle's – and shuts the door quietly instead of slamming it like he wants to. Violence is pointless, and he can handle this if he can just be alone for a few moments to calm down.

He first sits down on the edge of the bed, but this leads quickly to lying down, and then he is curling into a protective ball, hiding his face against a pillow. His throat feels tight, but he's not going to cry. How many times before has he cried over his mother? And he doesn't even need her. Really, he's been so very lucky, because Mr. Brande found him and gave him a place to stay, and Lyle is so wonderful and Querl loves him so much. This should be enough.

It should be, but it isn't. Every time he thinks about his mother, it hurts worse like being electrocuted all over again. And he wants to love Ryn and take care of him, but every time he looks at Ryn, he thinks of his mother.

No one bothers him for a long time. Through the door, he can hear Lyle and Ryn talking, though he can't make out what they're saying. Eventually, they quiet and Querl hears Lyle's footsteps coming near.

The door to the bedroom opens and then closes, and Lyle pads to the bed quietly. He sits on the opposite side of it and Querl listens to him undressing.

"You okay?" Lyle murmurs as he shimmies under the blankets and wraps his arms around Querl, pressing his bare chest against Querl's back. He kisses Querl's neck tenderly. "I sent Ryn to bed and I stayed with him until he fell asleep."

"He got enough to eat?" Querl asks, around the lump in his throat.

"Yeah, he had plenty." Lyle's fingers gently rub his arms. "Hey, B, you should get undressed. You can't sleep in your clothes."

"Yes, of course," Querl agrees quietly. He draws away from Lyle and sits up, sliding off his shirt first. Then he kicks off his shoes, pulls of his socks, and pushes down his jeans. He hesitates for a moment then, knowing that Lyle's eyes are on him. Then he slips off his underwear.

Lyle sits up in bed abruptly. "Brainy, what are you doing?"

"Please, be quiet," Querl grumbles as he climbs back into bed. He lies down and stares up at Lyle determinedly. "You said Ryn is asleep, right?"

"I don't think this is a good idea right now," Lyle tries to reason gently. "You're upset and this whole thing with Ryn, it's so new and I'm having trouble adjusting too, you know. So, you don't need to feel like… like you have to do this for me. You don't, okay?"

"Do you want me or not?" Querl tires quickly of Lyle's sympathy. "Just say it."

Lyle reaches a hand to tenderly stroke Querl's cheek. "I always want you," he whispers. "You are breathtaking, you know? But for tonight, let's just sleep. Let's adjust to everything first."

He leans down and kisses Querl, passionate but tender, and Querl melts into the kiss. "Okay," he whispers against Lyle's lips. "You win."

"And you're the prize," Lyle says fondly, lying back down and curling his body around Querl's.

"The consolation prize," Querl corrects, self-deprecatingly.

"The grand prize," Lyle insists. He wraps his arms around Querl and draws him even closer. Querl rests his head against Lyle's chest, listening to the steady beat of Lyle's heart. "You're the grand prize, Querl."

TBC


	3. Keep Them High

**Home Life**

By: Haiku

Rating: M for future chapters.

Fandom: Legion of Superheroes, Reboot

Characters: Brainiac 5, Invisible Kid

Pairing: Brainy/Lyle

Note: I made up the stuff about Ryn's name. I don't speak Coluan. Actually, I don't think anybody does.

**Home Life**

**Chapter 3: Keep Them High**

_The calm of turbulent seas fallen to sleep_

_And when the troubles arise we hold on tight_

_How can a body contain something so great?_

_My shell will suddenly burst, out will come birds_

_**A Fine Frenzy, "Hide and Seek"**_

A week later, Querl is signing all the necessary documents to take full custody of his little brother. He only has one challenger; ColuGov. Of course his home planet wants to try and get their hands on another Brainiac, despite their decision to give Querl away when he was younger. They probably see him as a failed experiment and Ryn as a chance to start over.

However, they won't get the chance. It has been established that Ryn was born off world, and therefore Colu has no jurisdiction over him or any claim to him. Querl, however, is Ryn's only known blood relative, besides Brainiac 4. The matter is handled quickly and Ryn becomes Querl's responsibility.

Maybe Querl can deal with taking care of a kid, maybe he can't. At least Lyle is there, picking up the slack, and Ryn seems to like Lyle. The two of them have bonded over superheroes, and Ryn's bedroom walls are now plastered in posters.

"Your superhero name was Brainiac 5, so am I Brainiac 6?" Ryn asks Querl one day. "I want to be just like you when I grow up."

Querl is washing dishes when this question is posed to him. He pauses, elbow-deep in soapy bubbles, and looks over at the little boy. Ryn is staring up at him with solemn eyes, squeezing Assistant Bear in a tight hug.

"No, you're not," Querl says after a long moment of figuring out what the best response would be. "You're Ryn Dox. That's good enough."

A hurt look quickly spreads across Ryn's face and he grips Assistant Bear a little tighter. He scuffs his shoe against the floor, looking away from Querl. "Yeah, but I thought maybe if I was like you, I could be a hero like you and Lyle were."

"Too dangerous," Querl persists, pursing his lips stubbornly. "You can be a scientist or a doctor and still be like us. I always wanted to make a real career at the Time Institute."

This is not a good enough answer for Ryn. "I _want _to be a hero like Superman!" he exclaims, stomping his little foot. "Lyle told me stories all about it! Why can't I?"

It's a good thing that Lyle comes in right then, probably alerted by all the noise Ryn is making. The human gives Querl a suspicious look before he scoops Ryn up in his arms dramatically and kisses the boy on the nose.

"What's all this noise in here?" Lyle demands playfully. "I'm hearing too much unhappiness out of the two of you. Too much!"

Ryn giggles and holds up his teddy bear. "Kiss Assistant Bear too!" he begs. "He's my sidekick!"

Lyle indulgently kisses the bear on the nose as well, and then sets Ryn down on the ground again. "Hey, sweetie, why don't you let me talk to Querl for a bit? I think he's a bit cranky. And you know how you get when you're cranky? Well, Querl's a bit worse about it, isn't he?"

"Oh, yes," Ryn agrees solemnly, nodding his head. He takes Lyle's advice and scampers off, probably back to his bedroom.

"Don't start," Querl snaps at Lyle the minute Ryn is out of the room. "I'm not in the mood for it."

"I know you don't like to be told when you're doing something wrong," Lyle replies sternly, "but quite frankly, dear, you're doing this wrong."

Querl turns his most scathing glare on his boyfriend. "I'm so sorry," he spits out sarcastically. "I didn't realize that adopting my three year-old brother and taking him into my home was the wrong thing to do. But do go on, I realize you probably have a lot to complain about."

He's being petty, he realizes, but he's grumpy and Lyle's not doing anything to help matters. They haven't had sex since Ryn moved in, and it's not because Querl doesn't want to (as it usually is when they have dry spells). Querl suspects that Lyle doesn't feel right about doing that sort of thing with Ryn in the house, but Querl is craving some attention. Anything, a blowjob, a hand job would be alright.

"Hey, what exactly is your problem?" Lyle asks, putting his hands on his hips. "You know, I get that this is hard to adjust to, but Ryn is a great kid. And he looks up to you! So why are you being so hateful to him? Why are you in such an awful mood?"

"Because," Querl growls out, "I am so incredibly sexually frustrated right now that I'm actually having _vivid daydreams _about you and I on the kitchen table!"

This shocks Lyle into complete silence. He stares at Querl like the Coluan has grown three heads, his mouth opened in a surprised "o."

Querl turns back to the dishes and furiously returns to washing.

"Umm, so," Lyle begins to speak eventually, "I don't think I've ever heard you say something so… err… suggestive?"

"Yeah, well." Querl can't think of an intelligent response. He can feel his cheeks heating up from embarrassment. "I suppose I should have been nicer to Ryn."

"I didn't realize you were really, you know, _in need_," Lyle continues, embarrassing Querl further. "I mean, usually I'm the one who goes without, no offense meant or anything. I guess I just hadn't even thought about it, but you have needs too and I should have been more attentive. I'll make it up to you. Okay?"

Still feeling a little sore, Querl hunches his shoulders stubbornly. "Of course I have needs. Why wouldn't I have needs? Everyone does. I'm not some… some sort of robot, okay? I know everyone assumes that I don't have _feelings _or _urges_ like the rest of you do, but it's just not true, okay?"

"Easy does it, B." Lyle comes up behind him and puts his hands on Querl's shoulders. He leans in and presses his lips to Querl's neck.

Querl's eyes flutter at the sensation, and he inhales sharply.

"Lyle…"

"Tonight, okay?" Lyle murmurs. "After Ryn goes to sleep, you and I will have some quality time."

"That… that's acceptable," Querl replies, ducking his head and scrubbing almost violently on a plate.

To be fair, Lyle really does try to make good on his promise. He puts Ryn to bed while Querl finishes up some paperwork. The two of them meet at the bedroom, and Querl pounces on his boyfriend with more fervor than he's really ever experienced before. Lyle has never seemed quite this sexy.

They're tangled together, skin on skin making delicious friction that Querl can't get enough of, and Querl knows he's gasping and making little noises that he usually doesn't, but he can't help it. He's usually never noisy during sex. Tonight, though, everything Lyle does sends tingles running through him.

And that's when the knock comes on the bedroom door. Both men freeze, staring at the door in horrified silence for several moments before a little voice speaks up on the other side of it.

"Querl, are you and Lyle having sex?" is Ryn's question.

Lyle groans and rolls off of Querl, putting one hand over his eyes. He's obviously mortified by the question. "Ryn, go back to bed."

"But I just want to know!" Ryn persists grumpily. "What's the big deal?"

"Yes!" Querl exclaims, exasperated. "Yes, we _were_ having sex, Ryn. It's impolite to ask people such questions, okay? Now go back to bed."

There's a long silence, and then, "But Assistant Bear got scared. Can we sleep with you?"

Lyle glances at Querl, who gives a suffering sigh and nods. The mood is officially dead now anyway. The two of them climb out of bed and track down pajamas. Lyle goes to the door and opens it, ushering Ryn inside. "Come on then. Just for tonight."

Ryn scurries into the room and clambers up onto the bed, Assistant Bear held tightly in his arms. He actually does look scared, or maybe nervous is more appropriate. His eyes flit from corner to corner, as though he expects something to jump out at him.

"What happened, sweetie?" Lyle asks as he gets back into bed. He opens his arms and Ryn snuggles into the embrace. "Why did you get scared?"

Querl gets back into bed on the other side of Ryn, the boy now serving as a barrier between him and his boyfriend.

"I had a bad dream," Ryn admits. "Sometimes that happens."

"Sometimes I have bad dreams too," Lyle tells him gently. He kisses the boy on the top of his head. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Mother was in it," Ryn whispers.

Querl's heart clenches painfully and he moves closer to his little brother, placing a hand on Ryn's back. Things have been going so well with Ryn that he'd forgotten about the trauma the boy has gone through. Of course Ryn would have nightmares. Querl still has them himself.

"You're safe here," he murmurs. "We won't let anything bad happen to you."

Ryn nods and gives a sleepy yawn. "Okay, I trust you," he mumbled, his eyes drifting closed. "Querl… you're my hero…"

Querl supposes the shocked expression on his face must be quite comical, because Lyle grins at him widely and barely holds back laughter. But he can't help being surprised – no one has ever said something like that to him before.

This feeling of simple and pure love that fills him now is strange. He'd thought he couldn't love a child like this, but now he knows he is wrong. He knows that being Ryn's hero feels right like nothing else ever has.

* * *

><p>Lyle has difficulty believing that Ryn is only three years old. He looks the part, but he talks like an eight year-old and reads college level textbooks for fun. Now that he's settled in, he's getting more and more curious about his surroundings. Lyle has shooed him out of the kitchen more times than he can count. However, Lyle has come up with a plan for keeping Ryn occupied.<p>

When Brainy gets home that evening, Lyle has used the day wisely. He and Ryn are covered in flour, as well as is the kitchen. They've been baking cookies for hours; Ryn's favorite flavor, double chocolate chip with dark chocolate. Lyle happens to know on good authority that they're Brainy's favorite too.

Ryn is a delighted, giggling mess. The flour is all over his clothes, in his hair, and covers his face and hands. Lyle is not much better off.

Brainy seems shell-shocked as he stands in the doorway staring at them. "It looks like one of my labs blew up in here," he finally speaks, arching an eyebrow.

"We're _baking_!" Ryn exclaims. "Lyle showed me how! He wouldn't let me use the stove though. But I mixed everything together!"

"Okay." Brainy holds his hands up. "I really don't care, as long as it all gets cleaned up. However, Lyle, _you _will be giving him his bath. And neither of you will step foot into the living room until you are flour free."

"We hear you loud and clear," Lyle promises, then lifts a plate of brashly baked cookies. "Would you like some chocolate, love?"

Brainy narrows his eyes at the cookies. "Dark chocolate?" he asks hopefully.

"Ryn insisted," Lyle agrees with a grin.

Lyle is really enjoying this whole parent thing. He spends the most time with Ryn between him and Brainy, since he's arranged to work from home. Ryn, despite being curious to a fault, is mostly well behaved. He mostly reads books or plays superhero games starring himself and Assistant Bear.

Despite how well he and Ryn get along, Lyle knows that Ryn's favorite person is actually Brainy. Ever since he found out that Brainy was once a hero who used his intelligence to protect people, Ryn has idolized him. When he plays his superhero games, Ryn has taken to calling himself "Brainiac 6" in homage to his brother, rather than his mother.

Brainy tries not to look too eager when he takes a cookie, but the dreamy expression on his face when he bites into the warm, gooey chocolate is a dead giveaway. He's been much better with Ryn these past few days, despite being completely thrown off by the new addition to the family. He's never been great with kids – especially small, hyper ones – but he's finally adjusting to Ryn and a sort of harmony exists between the three of them.

"I saved a planet today," Ryn informs his older brother. "Before lunch. Lyle says that's a record."

"I always had to have a sandwich before I could save a planet," Brainy says, playing along. "Otherwise my cognitive powers were subpar."

"And I made a new game to play on the computer!" Ryn adds enthusiastically. "It's about Assistant Bear saving a princess!"

"How clever," Brainy praises. He is practically glowing now, though he'd deny it if Lyle said anything. "Did you do all of your homework too?"

"Most of it," Ryn admits sheepishly. "I got distracted. It's Assistant Bear's fault."

That evening, Brainy joins Lyle and Ryn in their nightly tradition of reading bedtime stories. Tonight, it's a story about Superman and Krypto, the Super Dog. Ryn is completely worn out and falls asleep halfway through the story, despite trying his best to stay awake. Lyle and Brainy sit together and watch him sleep for a while.

"You told me once that your name means 'idealistic' in Coluan," Lyle murmurs to his boyfriend. "I was wondering – does Ryn's name have a meaning?"

"Well, Ryn doesn't mean anything by itself," Brainy replies. "However, I believe it's actually short for a Coluan saying, 'Ryn nann.' It doesn't have an exact translation; it's a concept developed by ancient Coluan philosophers."

"A concept of… what?" Lyle asks, confused.

Brainy purses his lips thoughtfully. "I think it's most similar to the Earth idea of 'salvation.'"

Salvation seems like an odd thing to name a child. Lyle puzzles about the significance, trying to put the puzzle pieces together. "It's strange that she would name him that," he speaks out loud. "I didn't think she was the type to care much about salvation."

"She can't feel." Brainy's voice sounds brittle as he speaks. "Except, she can feel when she causes others great distress, and whatever that feeling is, she enjoys it because it's the only thing she knows. She's desperate to understand and experience emotion. That's why she tried to kill me. Killing her own son made her feel intense emotion. So therefore, Ryn, her personal punching bag, is also her redemption, in a sense."

"That's a messed up way of looking at salvation," Lyle murmurs. He reaches over and takes one of Brainy's hands in his own. "She can't hurt either of you any more, you know."

His lover nods, but stares blankly at the wall. "I just can't help feeling sorry for her," he admits. "When she had me, it was because she thought having a child would make her feel something. But I didn't make her feel anything at all. I used to wonder if there was something wrong with me, because I couldn't help her."

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the beautiful, brilliant young man that Lyle is hopelessly in love with. Querl Dox is nothing short of amazing. And he's told Brainy so many times how amazing he is, but Brainy spent his childhood thinking he wasn't good enough for his own mother and he just can't get that idea out of his head.

"It's the same with Ryn, isn't it?" Lyle asks gently. "He couldn't save her either. But you wouldn't say it's his fault, would you?"

Brainy's gaze turns to the boy in the bed, sleeping soundly. "Of course not," he says quietly. "Ryn is… He's beautiful."

"Now you know how I feel about you." Lyle leans in and kisses Brainy's cheek. "So you can stop blaming yourself, and think about all the other people you've saved; myself included."

~TBC


	4. Bruised

**Home Life**

By: Haiku

Rating: M for future chapters.

Fandom: Legion of Superheroes, Reboot

Characters: Brainiac 5, Invisible Kid

Pairing: Brainy/Lyle

**Home Life**

**Chapter 4: Bruised**

_The world won't turn until something breaks_

_Who will make the first last mistake?_

_You say that good things come to those who wait_

_Into the spiral, your world and my world_

_It's never final, love just leaves you bruised_

_**Ben Folds, "Bruised"**_

Querl is working at the hospital when he gets the call from Lyle. It's actually the third call he's gotten from Lyle in the past hour but he's been busy, and he ignored the previous two. It's not like Lyle to call him repeatedly at work unless something is wrong, so Querl answers the third time.

"Lyle, this is not a good time," he starts, but Lyle's hysterical voice cuts him off.

"Brainy, you gotta' come home, okay?" Lyle says, and it sounds like he's crying. Lyle never cries. "It's Ryn. I don't know why, but he's just… I can't do anything with him. He keeps screaming for his mother and he's pulling his hair and pinching himself, Grife, he had a knife earlier but I took it from him. I don't know what to do."

In the background, Querl can hear Ryn's screaming. Lyle is gently hushing the boy through his tears, whispering soothing words, but nothing is calming the boy down.

"I'll be home in twenty minutes," Querl says firmly. "Lyle, just try to keep him from hurting himself."

He's never been in such a hurry to leave his work. He apologizes to his coworkers as he rushes out the door, but doesn't have time for more of an explanation.

When he reaches the apartment, he finds Lyle in the kitchen floor, holding onto a screaming, struggling Ryn. Lyle has the boy's hands pinned now, but there are marks all over Ryn's arms and face where he must have pinched himself until he bled.

"I don't know what happened," Lyle whispers, tears still running down his face. "He was taking a nap, he was fine, and then he just started screaming."

There's a kitchen knife lying in the floor a few feet away. Querl's stomach lurches at the sight of it.

"Ryn?" Querl drops to his knees beside his boyfriend and his little brother. "Ryn, it's Querl. Will you please calm down?"

"I. Want. Mother!" Ryn screeches at the top of his lungs, taking in deep, shuddering breaths between each word. "I want mother! You said I could see her, you liar, liar, liar!"

"Baby, you gotta' breathe, you're going to make yourself sick," Lyle begs. "Please, Ryn, just calm down. We love you so much, don't do this."

Querl has had enough of this. He will not stand by and let Ryn hurt himself like this, and he will not let Ryn cause Lyle so much distress. "Ryn! This nonsense will stop this minute, young man!"

Almost immediately, Ryn's screams quiet. He looks at Querl finally; his eyes wide and full of surprise and a little fear. Querl hasn't wanted to be rough with the boy, but sometimes it is necessary to lay down the law. This incident is too much.

"Do you understand what you're doing?" Querl snaps. "You are hurting yourself, and you are hurting Lyle. Do you understand that this behavior is unhealthy? If you want to see your mother, all you have to do is ask me. Throwing a fit like this is immature and unacceptable. I will not tolerate it."

Ryn sniffs, looking dazed and confused. He nods, nonetheless. "S-Sorry, Querl," he manages through hiccupping sobs, "I-I d-didn't mean t-to hurt L-Lyle. L-Love him so m-much."

"I love you too, baby, I do." Lyle's face is completely red and soaked in tears. He hugs Ryn close. "It's okay, I promise."

Between the two of them, they manage to get Ryn cleaned up. Querl administers a salve to the pinch marks on the boy to speed the healing process. It's midday but they crawl into bed with Ryn between them, both wrapped protectively around the little boy because they're both terrified of leaving Ryn alone now and the image of the kitchen knife stands out starkly in Querl's mind.

Querl knows they're lucky they haven't had incidents like this all along with Ryn. He's only been with them a few weeks, but it's been a relatively calm few weeks and Querl has gotten too comfortable with how normal and sweet Ryn has been.

"Why did he do that?" Lyle asks helplessly, his eyes fixed on the little boy sleeping between them. "I just don't understand."

"He's just confused," Querl says with a sigh. "Who knows how his brain works? You and I assume that he should be happy he's not being hurt anymore, but Ryn never really understood that Mother was treating him unfairly. He loves her, and there's nothing we can do to change that."

"Maybe we should try to get him to talk to someone," Lyle suggests. "Dr. Ryk'rr was always wonderful to us. Maybe she'd be able to help Ryn deal with some of this. Brainy, I just don't know how to help him. I know… I know what it's like to be hurt by someone you love, but Ryn is so devoted to his mother. I just… I don't know."

Calling Dr. Ryk'rr is an option that Querl can't justify writing off completely. The psychologist did help him a great deal when he was younger. If he absolutely had to pick a professional that he trusted to have only Ryn's best interests in mind, it would definitely be her.

"We'll talk about it," he agrees reluctantly. "If it's for the best, we'll do what we must."

* * *

><p>The first step is a trip to Takron Galtos. It's the last place Querl wants to take Ryn, but it's what his brother wants and Querl will do just about anything at this point to avoid a repeat performance of the scene in the kitchen.<p>

Lyle wanted to come with them but Querl refused. To his knowledge, Lyle has never met his mother, and Querl would rather it stayed that way. He doesn't know how his mother would behave towards his boyfriend, and Lyle has had enough drama lately.

They schedule the visit beforehand, so there is a visitation room set up for them when they arrive. The guards tell Querl that they will be just outside the door the whole time and they will be monitored on cameras as well. Brainiac 4 will be restrained throughout the meeting.

Her hands are fully encased in a topnotch restraint, which is in turn restrained to the table she is sitting at. Querl stands in the doorway for a long moment, Ryn in his arms, and considers whether or not he should really be here. Then Ryn is squirming in his hold and Querl is forced to let him down.

"Mother!" Ryn exclaims, running over to the woman and clambering up into her lap like there's nothing at all to be afraid of. He wraps his arms around her neck and hugs her tight. "I missed you so much!"

"Ryn, darling, I see that you're well." A smile spreads across Brainiac 4's face. Despite that, her tone is cold. "Your mother has missed your presence as well."

She looks over at Querl and raises her eyebrows. "Querl, are you just going to stand over there or are you going to come over and say hello?" she asks him.

Querl hesitantly shuffles over to the table and sits down on the other side of it. He watches his mother warily. "Ryn wanted to see you. You are under no obligation to talk to me if you do not wish to," he says, because he'd just as soon not talk to her at all.

"Don't be silly, of course I want to talk to both of my children." Brainiac 4 cranes her neck to press a quick, light kiss to Ryn's cheek. "Ryn, be a good boy and sit by your brother. You're making him very nervous."

Obediently, Ryn climbs down and goes to sit beside Querl. Querl is relieved to have the boy near him, and he takes Ryn's hand in his own, squeezing it gently.

"How are you?" he asks the woman awkwardly.

"I am… bored," Brainiac 4 replies, shrugging her shoulders. "However, I have been allowed to work on a new drug for my condition, under strict supervision, and it seems to be having an effect."

"You mean you're starting to feel things?" Querl asks, not sure if he believes her.

Again, she shrugs her shoulders. "More and more all the time, but still not very much. However, today I must say that I am feeling somewhat pleased to see you both. And I am surprised that the two of you look so much alike, though I shouldn't be. You both have my hair, don't you?"

Querl is not sure how long they should stay, or what Ryn is hoping to get out of this visit. He doesn't want to cut things short, because that would upset Ryn, but it makes him uncomfortable to be around her. For years, he never visited her because he was terrified to be in the same room as her.

"Do you… regret anything?" he asks her. "I mean, what happened the last time I saw you. Do you regret that?"

"I do not understand that emotion," she tells him honestly. "Though, it is unlikely that I would do it again, so you should stop being so frightened of me."

He cringes, wishing she hadn't spoken it out loud. He's immensely grateful for the space between them.

"Tell me about yourself, Querl. The last I heard of you, you were still part of your little Legion. However, by your current attire, I assume you're no longer in that line of work." She nods her head in his direction, referring to the very human black turtleneck and blue jeans he is wearing.

Querl shifts uncomfortably and shrugs his shoulders. "I retired from the Legion. My boyfriend and I purchased and apartment in Metropolis. I'm interning at Metropolis Medical Center."

He keeps it all very brief, because he'd rather not tell her any more than he absolutely has to. Even restrained as she is here, the fear that she'll escape again still lingers in the back of his mind, and if she thinks he is vulnerable, what will stop her from coming after him again?

"You have a lover?" This information seems to intrigue Brainiac 4. She leans forward, her eyes glinting with curiosity. "When I last saw you, I remember that you had some impressively loyal friends who came to your aid. I didn't think you had anyone of romantic interest to you, however."

"I wish you wouldn't speak of that so casually," Querl growls under his breath. "Perhaps it was of no significance to you, but it is a memory that I would just as soon forget."

"Very well," Brainiac 4 replies flippantly, as though she doesn't really care. "Tell me of your lover, then. Does he appreciate you? Is he helping you raise Ryn?"

Ryn pipes up before Querl gets the chance to tell Brainiac 4 that it's none of her business. "Lyle is awesome! He plays superheroes with me and the other day, we baked cookies! He reads me a story every night so I can fall asleep, and he takes me to the park and the comic book store."

The ghost of a smile graced Brainiac 4's face. "Well, if Ryn approves then I will take his word for it."

"Lyle is a good person," Querl agreed firmly. "He takes care of us."

"Marry him, then. Be happy. Have a normal life."

Querl frowns at her. "I wasn't asking you for your approval."

"I am giving you my blessing, son," Brainiac 4 replies calmly. "There is no need to be hostile. I am not being hostile toward you."

"Please do not call me that." Querl can't help the icy tone he has taken with her. He doesn't trust her, and will never be able to trust her, no matter if she learns to feel emotion or not. The memory of electricity coursing through his veins, of her laughter ringing in his ears while pain crippled him, is still too vivid, even years later.

"Son?" Brainiac 4 asks for clarification. "But you are my son."

"No." Querl stands up abruptly. "That's enough. I came here for Ryn's sake, not yours. Any claim you might have had to me, you renounced that day; do you understand me? I owe you nothing."

Ryn watches Querl with wide eyes, apparently baffled by his older brother's ire. Querl can't possibly begin to explain. He doesn't want to tell Ryn what their mother did. Ryn loves her so much, how can Querl justify telling him something like that? He's just a little boy. He shouldn't have to deal with all of Querl's baggage. But even so, Querl can hardly bear to even look at Brainiac 4 now.

"You're upsetting your brother," the woman says. "You should sit down."

The worst, most twisted thing about all this is that Querl still loves her. She has done nothing to deserve it at all, but he can't help it. He craves her affection. If she could just smile at him, if she could just tell him that everything is alright now and she was wrong before, but now she does love him back…

"Ryn, five more minutes, okay?" he addresses his brother. "Lyle is waiting for us to get home."

It's lucky that Ryn has inherited the Brainiac genius. Any other toddler would not tolerate this. But Ryn regards Querl silently for a moment, perhaps taking in Querl's distressed expression and the nervous way he holds himself, and then nods in understanding.

Querl stands by the door for the next few minutes listening to Ryn talk. Brainiac 4 is surprisingly patient with the boy, almost giving the illusion of caring about him, but Querl remembers the bruises that only recently faded from Ryn's skin, and the way Ryn still flinches from sudden movements, and most importantly, the incident in the kitchen.

"Ryn, step outside now and let your brother and I talk in private," Brainiac 4 says presently. "You'll visit again. Be a good boy for your brother."

It's amazing how opinionated, headstrong Ryn will do exactly what Mother tells him to do, Querl thinks. The little boy blows Brainiac 4 a kiss (such an act of affection must have been taught to him by Lyle) and then hurries to obey. He lightly touches Querl's hand as he leaves the room.

A sudden, irrational fear of being alone with Brainiac 4 grips Querl, and his legs feel weak. He takes a deep breath and lets it out, trying to calm his nerves.

"There is an important matter I wish to discuss with you," Brainiac 4 says, her tone completely cold now. "Sit down, you look like you're about to fall over."

He forces himself over to the table again and sits down, watching the woman warily. "What is this important matter, then?"

"Who else knows about Ryn?" she asks him. "Aside from the old man who humors your eccentricities and this boy that you have taken up with."

"Quite a few people," Querl replies, trying to ignore the jabs she has made against his family. "The social workers who handled the case, the science police who found Ryn, mine and Lyle's co-workers, and some of our old friends. ColuGov also found out. They tried to fight my claim to him but the matter was handled on Earth and Colu has no jurisdiction or sway there."

Brainiac 4 frowns deeply. "It's not surprising that they would try to get their hands on him. You must be very careful, then. There are people in this universe who would like to have access to a Brainiac. You and I are relatively safe, since we are both extremely difficult to manage. Ryn is just a child. It would be easy for someone to take advantage of him."

"Why do you care?" Querl asks her suspiciously. "I find it hard to believe that you've suddenly become mother of the year."

"My Ryn Nann is a very special boy." She stares back across the table at him impassively. "As I am sure you have discovered."

"Your salvation?" Querl sneers, because he can't resist being a little nasty about it. It hurts to think that Ryn has somehow succeeded where Querl could not.

As always, she is not bothered by his display of emotion. "Remember your own name, Querl," she reminds him calmly. "Because it suits you the same as Ryn's suits him."

Querl means "idealistic." Only Mr. Brande and Lyle know that, no one else has ever asked. However, beyond the definition, he has never been able to figure out why she named him that. Does it mean that he, Querl, is some sort of ideal? Or is it representative of his life, spent fighting for perfection and the storybook happy ending?

"Can you see the future, then, Mother?" he asks her. "Or do your names hold some sort of _magic _powers?"

"I am merely a good judge of character," she replies, "and you let your emotions get the better of you too often."

If he could just hate this woman, things would be so much easier. The one thing she knows nothing about is emotions, and yet here she is lecturing him on his ability to control them. She has never felt pain, or abandonment. She has no idea what it's like in his head.

"One day," he says as he stands back up, "I really do hope you know how it feels to love someone and never have them love you back."

* * *

><p>In the middle of the night, Lyle is woken by screams. He sits straight up in bed, wide-eyed, and looks around for something out of place before he realizes that the screaming is coming from his bed partner. Brainy is tangled up in the blankets, fighting against them like they're bonds. Lyle has never heard his lover make such anguished sounds before.<p>

"Brainy! Hey, Brainy, it's okay." Lyle tries to pin Brainy to keep him from tangling himself further. The Coluan moans and writhes in his grip. "Wake up! Brainy!"

"No, no, mother," Brainy whispers feverishly. "Please don't, please, it hurts so much. I'm sorry. I love you. I love you."

Lyle curses softly, wishing he hadn't agreed to Brainy and Ryn visiting Brainiac 4 in prison. When they arrived home, Brainy was a mess and Lyle had known that the effects of the visit would make themselves known soon. Now here they are, and Brainy is caught in the throes of a nightmare that Lyle can't seem to break through.

"Baby, Querl, please wake up." Lyle lies down next to Brainy and wraps his arms around him. "She's not here, okay, she's not really here. Please, if you can hear me, you are safe. I promise you're safe."

Finally, Brainy comes out of the dream with a strangled gasp, his hands gripping Lyle's shirt. He pants against Lyle's shoulder, wild-eyed and confused.

"Lyle," he murmurs after a few minutes of catching his breath. "Oh. I… I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

"Hush, it's okay," Lyle replies, tenderly holding Brainy close. "Everyone has bad dreams sometimes. Are you alright now?"

"I think so." Brainy shivers and presses closer to him. "It was just… very vivid. I haven't had one that bad in years."

The implication that Brainy still has nightmares is not lost on Lyle. He hasn't thought about it, since Brainy has never woken Lyle like this before. Probably, he usually does not show any outward signs of distress during his nightmares. As with everything, Brainy no doubt internalizes them completely.

Brainy is still shaking all over, and Lyle holds tight to him as if he can somehow cure Brainy's trembling by sharing his own solid strength. Maybe he can, because gradually Brainy seems to calm down, until at last he is just breathing in and out and all the tension drains from his body.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lyle asks softly. He feels Brainy shake his head. "It would probably be good to get it out in the open, though. You know you can trust me."

Silence stretches between them, but Lyle knows Brainy is still awake. Brainy just doesn't want to talk. This is not uncommon. It has always been difficult to get Brainy to open up. Before the Legion, Lyle suspects that Brainy didn't really have anyone to talk to, and so learned to keep everything to himself.

"I could make us some tea," he suggests. "We can sit in the living room for a while and talk."

He gets neither an affirmative or negative response from Brainy, so he decides to take matters into his own hands. He presses a kiss to the top of Brainy's head before untangling himself from his lover. "Alright, come on. I'm awake now, so I need some chamomile to get me back to sleep."

Brainy silently follows him into the kitchen and sits down at the table. He looks so miserable, illuminated by the dim kitchen light and dressed only in shorts and a t-shirt for pajamas. Lyle wishes there was something he could do to make Brainy feel better, but tea will have to do for now.

"If you don't want to talk to me," Lyle begins as he waits for the water to heat, "I can call Dr. Ryk'rr for you in the morning and set up an appointment. Maybe you should have started going back to her when we moved anyway. I know retiring and getting a new job and all really shook you up."

"Are you suggesting that I'm _fragile_, Norg?" Brainy asks with a snort.

Lyle turns to look at Brainy with a huff. "Norg, huh? I thought we'd moved past last names. I do know you more intimately than anyone else, after all."

Brainy's cheeks blush dark green. He still gets embarrassed about sex, which Lyle thinks is unbearably cute.

"I'm just saying that maybe you're uncomfortable talking to me," Lyle says as he pours hot water into mugs for them both and adds teabags. "You've talked to Dr. Ryk'rr before. Maybe it would be easier for you to talk to her again. She knows a lot of stuff that you'd have to tell me about before I could really understand."

There's a soft thud as Brainy's forehead connects with the kitchen table. "I don't need to see a psychologist, Lyle. It was one nightmare."

Logically, Lyle knows this. One nightmare doesn't mean anything. Then again, they need to consult with Dr. Ryk'rr anyway about Ryn's spell. In fact, Lyle thinks that maybe he'd benefit from talking to someone about all of this himself.

"What about a group session?" he suggests impulsively. "Maybe if it's the three of us…"

"How about we just go visit Legion World instead?" Brainy suggests, arching an eyebrow. "Not that I want to go, particularly, but I thought maybe you would like to."

Caught off guard by the suggestion, Lyle stands frozen for a moment before a smile slowly spreads across his face. "You know, I think that's a good idea," he agrees. "We could see some old friends, and Ryn would get to see what Legion World looks like."

"Let's plan for it, then." Brainy stands and takes his mug of tea from Lyle. Sipping it carefully, he wanders from the kitchen to the living room and curls up on the couch. He seems surprisingly serene, Lyle thinks as he follows after his lover.

He curls up beside Brainy and they drink their tea together in silence.

TBC


End file.
